TV and Film Stalwart Julie Walters to be Honoured with Bafta Fellowship

The legendary actress said her speech would require "a bit of thought".

The actress Julie Walters is to be recognised for her considerable contribution to both film and television by way of a Bafta Fellowship, the BBC have reported. Walters said she was "completely honoured and thrilled" at the news.

Julie Walters at the premiere for 'Harry Hill The Movie'

"I got a letter just saying 'you've been chosen, would you accept it?'" she told Chris Evans on his Radio 2 Breakfast show. "That was it. It was just like an email, and I emailed them back and said, 'yeah, great!'" Walters will join previous recipients of the award, Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders, Richard Curtis and Sir David Jason.

In a statement, she added she had "worked with some brilliant people over the years" and had been "very fortunate to have had the opportunities to work on such a variety of projects".

Walters began her long and illustrious career working with Victoria Wood in shows such as Wood and Walters. Her move to the silver screen saw her nominated for an Oscar for her turn in the 1983 film Educating Rita, which also starred Michael Caine.

She lost out to Terms of Endearment's Shirley MacLaine on the night, but the role – a working class woman who turns to academia to better herself – put her on the map, and marked an important point in her relationship with feminism and her impact on other females.

Chief Executive of Bafta, Amanda Berry called Walters "one the most talented individuals to grace our screens. She has the innate ability to draw the viewer in across any genre, captivating and entertaining with every performance. Julie is thoroughly deserving of the Fellowship, the highest honour the Academy can bestow,” she added.